Odour preferences of children and adults across four diverse cultures in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Oceania.

Odour perception plays a crucial role in various processes, yet the extent to which odour preferences are universal or shaped by cultural and ecological contexts remains debated. While some studies report substantial cross-cultural agreement in odour pleasantness, others highlight considerable variability. To address this question from a novel perspective, we collected data from 394 children and adults (aged 3-81) across four distinct cultures (Hadza, Pakistani, Dani, and Scottish). Participants rated the pleasantn…